Saturday, July 30, 2011

Review: Mike's Pizza, Route 3, Westtown (West Chester) PA

On the advice of a coworker who praised the crisp crust at Mike's (Route 3 Eastbound side, near Rt. 352, in Westtown PA), I decided to stop in for a slice en route to Pete's Produce on Rt. 926. I was greeted by an earnest counter girl but I was disappointed to learn that the only slices available were plain. I ordered one and a root beer, and both arrived swiftly.

To their credit, the slice came piping hot and I needed to let it cool. It looked quite conventional, and had a generous amount of standard mozzarella on it. This was a decent slice of pizza. Nothing distinguished the cheese or sauce, and indeed I added both salt and red pepper to spice it up. The crust seemed to be made of the same source that 99% of pizza joints use, but instead of the soft floppy stuff served up in most places, this had a very satisfying crispness. They call it "Neapolitan" and it surely is not, but it's decent pie nonetheless. Someone understands that a well-made slice can support its toppings.

The slice cost just $1.85; with a soda and tax, I laid out $3.71. Pretty decent budget lunch. The counter girl doubled as server and checked twice to see if I needed anything, and the friendly pizzaiolo asked me if I liked it as I was exiting.

Bottom line? Value pie, where ordinary ingredients are raised up a bit by superior technique and friendly staff. Mike earns 6 stars of 10 for his slice. Not destination pie, but a worthy stop on your way.